Anvil Throne Bruisers

[silverclawgrizzly]

Here is the Anvil Throne Warlord book I'm currently running. It focuses on putting out some absolute bruisers and getting the Warlord to where he's a very scary threat in of himself. I've been doing pretty well with it. I'm 1-1 against my buddies Air Wizard, 2-0 against another friends Druid, 1-1 against a Bloodwave Warlord.

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Bruisers. [/spellbookname]
[mage]Anvil Throne Warlord[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFA02]2 x  Hurl Rock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA03]1 x  Hail of Stones[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA04]3 x  Hurl Boulder[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFW01]3 x  Wall of Earth[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ07]1 x  Quicksand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ01]1 x  Akiro's Hammer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j15]1 x  Mohktari, Great Tree of Life[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ04]1 x  Armory[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ03]1 x  Barracks[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ04]2 x  Garrison Post[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWW01]1 x  Wall of Pikes[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j13]1 x  Mana Flower[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MXSTX2FFJ02]1 x  Altar of Carnage[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKC01]2 x  Bridge Troll[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFC03]2 x  Bloodcrag Minotaur[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKC07]2 x  Dwarf Panzergarde[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC15]1 x  Thorg, Chief Bodyguard[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFC05]2 x  Anvil Throne Crossbowman[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1e36]1 x  Rhino Hide[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE02]1 x  Akiro's Favor[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKE01]1 x  Armor Ward[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE06]2 x  Fortified Position[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE09]1 x  Standard Bearer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e01]1 x  Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e05]1 x  Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE06]1 x  Lion Savagery[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ04]1 x  General's Signet Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKQ04]1 x  Reflex Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q08]1 x  Elemental Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q23]1 x  Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ05]1 x  Harshforge Plate[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ06]2 x  Morning Star[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWQ02]1 x  Defense Ring[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i07]2 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i02]1 x  Battle Fury[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i04]1 x  Charge[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI06]2 x  Defend[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWI08]2 x  Sniper Shot[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]3 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i12]1 x  Force Push[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

Here's my question: Should I try and shoe horn Brogan Bloodstone in there? I could change out one of those trolls for him and shave some points here and there. He'd be a nice little surprise for folks and help me take out your Blue Gremlins, Cervere's and other evading people. I'd be tempted to put the Horn of Gothos in there so I could make him fast wherever I am.

[MageHorst]

Brogan sounds like a nice idea (Piercing + Unavoidable beats the Troll's 5 dice) if you can squeeze him in. Maybe get rid of one Fortified Position? Your creatures are quite sturdy, and with the Minotaur and your "March" Battle Order, you won't be standing around in one zone anyway.

What does your opening look like?

Oh, and how did it go with Akiro's Hammer? Have you ever played it? And if yes, how did it work out?

[V10lentray]

I don't like Akiro's hammer only because it doesn't have indirect. it should have and I think they play testers for that set missed the boat on making that card really good. 

The weapon is in fact a trebuchet, which launches large boulders high into the air. How that doesn't get around walls is beyond me?

[silverclawgrizzly]

The secret to making the hammer work is timing. A few issues need to be in play for a good use of it:

1. Have a good beater or two in it's zone or able to get there so you can take out any walls that get put up. Yeah someone will just say "Oh an incorporeal..." to which I say "If they play paper then you play rock etc." But yeah be prepared to bring down a wall. It's actually kinda easy sometimes to put it in a zone where one wall won't block it.

2. Put it down as your final Quick Cast on a turn where your opponent had initiative. That way they only have a quick cast to try and deal with it. If you can have a Panzerguarde in there then that pretty much makes it near impossible to wipe out in one turn.

I've had tremendous success with it. The thing to remember is it's attack on conjurations can NOT be intercepted so it's an easy way to take out a Temple of Asyra or a rival Barracks. The other cool thing it's awesome for is drawing enemy fire away from important stuff. They'll move Heaven and Earth to take that bad boy out. Now it's by no means perfect for every situation but when used sparingly it pays off in dividends.

As for Brogan I thought about taking out a Fortified Position but then I'm likely to use the other one only as an archers buff. I like casting the other deep into enemy territory in a zone I'm trying to force them out of. The math I'm thinking right now of how to get it out: Troll(5points), Charge(1 point), Hail of Stones(2 points.) My logic being that Charge isn't that useful for a guy who can give an entire zone Fast and I almost never find a use for Hail of Stones.

As said before I'm thinking the Horn of Gothos though which is another two points that need to leave in order to make room. Maybe a Fortified position after all? I guess the archers can fend for themselves.

[sIKE]

What I find most interesting in your book is Reflex Boots and Morning Star. Do you not worry about Pushes?

[silverclawgrizzly]

Not enough to put the Eagle Claw boots in. The Reflex Boots are a mixed blessing. On paper I should be dodging a lot more than I actually do. At least one attack a turn should be easily dodged. However I normally roll a 2-3 on the dice when it's time to dodge so I end up yelling "Why do I even cast these useless boots!" But then I do sometimes actually manage to avoid an attack from some hard hitting creature so I don't take them out of the book. The Defense Ring MIGHT be taken out as I feel double stupid when I can't dodge on a 4 because remember I'm a dwarf and the boots get the Defense +2 Rune every time. I am Tough -2 so that helps somewhat against Pushes but it's still fairly easy to jerk me around. There's just frankly no way I'm going to be able to defend against everything. What I might do is put in a Brace Yourself for when I do inevitably get tossed through a painful wall.

One of those Morning Stars is actually a Vorpal Blade in my spell book. I use two promos in my book when not at big tournaments. The other is you can swap an Anvil Throne Crossbowman for a Bloodwave Greatbow. It's good to have a melee weapon and the two I use give me some options depending on what I'm facing. Grizzly Bears get the Vorpal Blade, Cervere gets the Morning Star for example.

Equipment wise I'd like to put in another Harshforge Plate. Here recently I've been able to prevent people from dissolving my crap with the Harshforge+Armor Ward+Rune combo, or at least delay it from happening.

My start as someone asked is generally a Barracks and Garrison Post. Nothing original there I admit but I'll change it up sometimes.

Fully powered my Dwarf packs:
-6 Attack with the Bear Strength and a weapon. 7 if I can get a Standard Bearer going and I normally can.
-5 Armor with the Harshforge and Rhino Hide. Up to 8 with a Standard Bearer and some Fortified Position. Again this isn't that hard to pull off but it's trickier.
-Dodging one attack a turn on a 4 or better. But the dice dieties hate me so it's more like "Two dodges a game and a crap ton of catching fireballs with my face."
-Healing 2 damage a turn from either the Regrowth Belt(which gets a Cantrip Rune) or the healing tree(which gets it's own Panzerguarde.)
-Fast and Elusive. The Elusive literally saves me a good bit for when I get teleported into a big group of ugly. the Fast means I can give em a little present sometimes as I leave.

You combine this with my "Thumper Squad" of heavy hitters and it's not bad. You really can't afford to ignore Minotaurs and Trolls I've found. I keep one Dissolve for Veterans Belts cause I don't care how armored you are if I throw enough dice at you Crits will happen. Because of this people have to focus on my brutes which normally allows me to get powered up fast.

[sdougla2]

I think Reflex Boots make a lot more sense than Eagleclaw Boots for the Anvil Throne Warlord. Am I worried about pushes? No. Not really.

When I play Reflex Boots, I tend to dodge most of the time I use the defense.

[silverclawgrizzly]

I think Reflex Boots make a lot more sense than Eagleclaw Boots for the Anvil Throne Warlord. Am I worried about pushes? No. Not really.

When I play Reflex Boots, I tend to dodge most of the time I use the defense.

Please let me know which small animal you are sacrificing to your dice gods so that I may appease them as well and perhaps lift the curse from my boots.

[sIKE]

I think Reflex Boots make a lot more sense than Eagleclaw Boots for the Anvil Throne Warlord. Am I worried about pushes? No. Not really.

When I play Reflex Boots, I tend to dodge most of the time I use the defense.

My point was that I see most people carry the Morning Star now, so that when something like Cervere or these boots come out.

[silverclawgrizzly]

The morning star is cool. I see them in everything from Wizards to Necromancers lately. They're "all the rage" apparently. I wear the boots to dodge large range attacks coming at me as Brogan and a number of other things make them a moot point too.

[silverclawgrizzly]

So I did go ahead and shoe horned Brogan into the book. Oh my stars and garters! What a sexy awesome can opener! Played one game against an Air Wizard and man does that guy bring down a Wizards Tower fast! Also I got to cast Battle Fury on him and he eviscerated the poor Wizard(who's shield was already popped.)

I later went and found room for the Helm of Command and Perfect Strike.

[Wise fool]

Did you lose the elemental wand in making room for other things?  I love the idea of wands but find them mostly on the wrong end of a dissolve in practice.  I suppose the armor ward and harshforge plate helps with that some.  It seems like no matter what counter measures I try, stuff gets dissolved sooner or later.

I toyed with the idea of including Brogan in my first warlord book, but I wanted more creatures to summon and take advantage of the barracks/construction yard engine.  I do like Brogan for a warlord, though.

[Kharhaz]

So I did go ahead and shoe horned Brogan into the book. Oh my stars and garters! What a sexy awesome can opener! Played one game against an Air Wizard and man does that guy bring down a Wizards Tower fast! Also I got to cast Battle Fury on him and he eviscerated the poor Wizard(who's shield was already popped.)

I later went and found room for the Helm of Command and Perfect Strike.

I thought I would would chime in here as the de facto preverbal shoulder devil and recommend ditching that holy Goody Two–shoes [mwcard=MW1C06]Brogan Bloodstone[/mwcard] and recommend my good friend [mwcard=DNC07]Mort[/mwcard]! Mort is much better at eliminating your enemies, has built in reconstruction, and is the same amount of spell points! Armor, as you have seen, is not as big of an issue for the warlord with all the ways he can boost his soldier troops.

Whats Brogan going to do with 8 armor anyway?

Mort is for a different situation then Brogan and there is no wrong choice, but he can mix it if they are running the idol of pestilence for example

[silverclawgrizzly]

Kharhaz I legitimately thought about using Mort instead of Brogan Bloodstone. I probably will eventually try him out actually.

I lost to shoe Brogan in:
1 Bridge Troll
1 Charge
1 Hail of Stones.

I took out Cheetah Speed to get the Helmet in and I lost a Sniper Shot for a Perfect Strike.

[DaveW]

I wonder if it might help to add a Shift Enchantment to move a Fortified Position from the rear where the archers are to the front where you want your soldiers protected. You could have only one Fortified Position in your book that way, so you would save one spell book point and some mana in casting the second one while you are at it.

I like the idea of Mort also, though against a Holy Mage popping out Brogan on turn 1 is hilarious.

If you do go with Mort, you might add a Wall of Bones in place of the third Wall of Earth with the Shift Enchantment idea above.